Orren Beaty, Jr. & Mary Beaty Collection

DONOR:

Mrs. Mary Ethel Turner Beaty & Laura Beaty

SIZE:

8 cu ft

SCOPE & CONTENT:

World War II newspaper clippings, military items, scrapbook, magazines, political ephemera

BIOGRAPHY:

During his life, Orren Beaty, Jr., was active in journalism, government, and politics. A native of Clayton, NM, Mr. Beaty graduated from New Mexico State University in 1940, with degrees in history and government. He served our nation during World War II in the Army Air Corps as a radar navigator instructor for the B-29 bomber. He later served in the Air Force during the Korean conflict and retired as a Major in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

After his military service, Mr. Beaty began his political career as Managing Editor of the Las Cruces Sun-News and as a reporter, political writer, and columnist for the Arizona Republican. In 1955, he moved to Washington, D.C. to work as an administrative assistant for then-Representative Stewart Udall (D-Arizona), and he later served as a principal aide when Mr. Udall was appointed Secretary of the Interior. In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Mr. Beaty as the Federal Co-chairman of the Four Corners Regional Commission within the Department of Commerce, where he collaborated with the governors of the four Southwestern states to promote economic development. Mr. Beaty's life was defined by a strong sense of service to others and an unwavering commitment to the public good. He died in Las Cruces NM on January 19, 2005, at the age of 85.

 

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